SkyCity Auckland to close casino for 5 days following DIA investigation
18 July 2024
SkyCity has agreed to a five-day voluntary closure of its gambling operation at its Auckland casino for licence breaches relating to its harm minimisation obligations
This resolution follows an application by the Secretary of Internal Affairs to the Gambling Commission to suspend SkyCity’s operator’s licence, prompted by a complaint from a customer who gambled at the SkyCity Auckland casino between 2017 and 2021.
The estimated loss of income to SkyCity due to the five-day closure is around 5 million New Zealand Dollars.
This agreement is conditional on the Gambling Commission consenting to the withdrawal of the proceedings.
DIA’s investigation identified 23 incidents where the customer was able to gamble continuously at the casino without detection by SkyCity’s technological system for identifying continuous play and without appropriate staff oversight or interaction.
SkyCity has acknowledged that it breached its licence and Host Responsibility Programme and has formally apologised to DIA for these failings.
“The resolution agreement is an unprecedented result. This is the first voluntary closure of a casino and is the longest suspension of operations in a casino under the Gambling Act.” says Vicki Scott, Director of Gambling, DIA.
“Gambling has a real potential to cause harm to customers, their whānau and their communities.”
“Casinos and other gambling operators have strict obligations when it comes to preventing and minimising harm from gambling, including those relating to continuous and long hours of play.”
“We have a responsibility to keep New Zealanders safe by ensuring gambling operators take their harm minimisation obligations seriously. We will respond firmly when operators fail to uphold those obligations.”
“We are pleased that SkyCity has admitted to the breaches and acknowledged the gravity of their failures and the importance of its harm minimisation obligations.”
“We will be working closely with SkyCity to make sure it is compliant in the future. It is encouraging to see the work SkyCity has already done to lift its performance in this area and its public commitment to continue to improve.”
DIA is the primary regulator of gambling in New Zealand. More information can be found about DIA’s regulatory approach and their role in preventing gambling harm at dia.govt.nz/Gambling.
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